Books »The Fortress Of Solitude

fortress of solitude by jonathan lethemPrepare for an extensive journey through childhood and beyond. The Fortress Of Solitude is a long book that requires your time and patience. Many of my friends and reviews I have read state that the first hundred pages are hard to get through but the subsequent pages make it worth while. I personally do not agree, but since there is such a consensus from others I thought I'd warn you… if you don't like it at first, don't give up.

This really is a most rewarding read, at times sentimental, magical, heartbreaking, and enlightening. It tells the story of Dylan Ebdus, one of the only white kids growing up in the neighborhood of Boerum Hill Brooklyn in the 1970s and his best friend, and son of a soul singing legend, Mingus Rude.

This is a realistic and contemplative study about race, gentrification, drugs, fate, and all the experiences and surroundings that make us who we are with a bit of magical realism thrown in by way of a ring that gives the boys super powers. But don't expect a happy tale with simple solutions, super powers end up being more confusing and complex than empowering or helpful in the hands of flawed mortals. Highly recommended.


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Posted on December 11, 2006

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